


Broken Colors

by knotted_rose



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Character Study, Coda, Drabble Sequence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-12
Updated: 2011-03-12
Packaged: 2017-10-16 22:05:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/169835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knotted_rose/pseuds/knotted_rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things were pretty broken at the end of the season, after "When Worlds Collide." Can they fix things?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken Colors

Don doesn't pray in the cool haven of the cathedral he slips into when he needs a break. He believes in the system, the Bureau, the job. He has to.

Charlie's the one suffering a crisis of faith, no longer trusting his big brother to look out after him. He separates himself in his ivory tower, assailing heaven with his numbers.

Don tells himself it's better now that Charlie's out of harm's way. Better the clear boards at the office are wiped clean, though their relationship is now strained and broken like the stained glass colors spread across the floor.

#

Charlie often got lost as a child: walking to clear his head, then the numbers coming anyway, distracting him. Now Don's lost behind walls and won't let Charlie in.

Finally Charlie remembers Megan's advice and finds his brother in the cathedral.

"Not Cain and Abel," he tells Don, just to get a smile.

"It's safer."

"For who?"

"It can't be the same."

"Doesn't have to be."

"We made a good team."

"Make."

When Don lets Charlie lead him out of the broken colored light, their trust isn't healed. But the walls have a door now, and the tower, a staircase.


End file.
